Second Chance
by Victorian-Gothic
Summary: Mark W Callum and his long time and rather strange friend Jacob Stuart are both given 2nd chances but at what cost and will they like the deal they are to be offered..features Mark Calaway aka The Undertaker
1. Chapter 1

_Well, after finally getting access to my account again and finding all my stories gone...I was thinking about not bothering adding anymore. But my muses decided that was a bad idea._

_Yes I have changed the name of the main character to Mark W Callum, but I'm sure you can all guess who it is based on...please enjoy and review-thanks folks_

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**Chapter One**

Figures slowly picked their way over the sands late in the afternoon of what was to be come known as The Longest Day , stopping at anything and everything that remotely looked like it was once a living human. Even the most battle hardened of men felt sick to his stomach at such a sight. The beach from shoreline to the edge of the entrenchments was littered with the broken remains of what was once someone's father, a son, or brother. Now they were nothing more than a bloodied footnote in military and world history. Those that tended to the wounded and the dying hoped and prayed that the sacrifice would be worth it.

Staff-Sergeant Mark W Callum, knew all too well what had happened. In that split second when he took it upon himself to knock that young lance-corporal out of the way, he knew what was about to occur. Just before the world around him exploded in a mix of sand, metal and his own blood and guts... life was so very clear, for that all too brief moment everything around him froze.

He could see the look of sheer terror on the young lads face, a boy that was far too young to be witnessing such horror up close and he really wished a that moment he could recall the lads name but he couldn't and that angered him. He noted with a deep sorrow the sheer number of dead and dying that covered this once peaceful stretch of French coastline, the way the smoke had mingled with the early morning air creating an almost living fog. And beyond the sand in the fortifications he could make out the look of shock and panic in the faces of the German soldiers that had been caught out by the landing forces. Finally his eyes were drawn to how the mortar shell hung in the air before it sent him towards his death.

The pain wasn't so bad now instead of it burning and tearing throughout his entire body in waves, it now merely ached like a bitch and then some. He could taste his own blood, not that he ever minded the taste of blood and he even found himself laughing as he realised he was now half the man he used to be, literally. It's amazing he thought to himself that he had managed to survive the shell exploding at his feet, it had been the bullet to the head that had mercifully ended his life.

Soon , he thought as he waited for the mass exodus of the newly departed souls to begin.

The thought of watching friends and comrades leave him behind saddened him. But this was always the case, he was never to be allowed peace nor salvation not unless he renounced everything that he had once fought so hard for. Then that would mean having to also deny his love for her and that was something he could never do. So he would remain a damned soul forever cursed to an endless cycle of life and painful death.

They say in the last moments just before you die your life plays out before you, giving you the chance to reflect on all that was and what could have been. Mark smiled, knowing that his was quite a long tale and not one that could be told in a mere heartbeat.

He tried his best not to laugh when the poor medic nearly threw up at the sight of his body spread over the sand. Strange he thought, how that even in the state of death he still had his wicked sense of humour.

The sounds of the wounded and dying faded as did the noise of the now distant battle, the Allied Forces making slow but steady progress ever forwards. Good... at least this meant something, he turned and wanted to scream out in anguish at seeing the twisted body of the young lad he had died trying to save laying there, even now they would not let him have some comfort. Had his death meant him saving the boy, he would have gone to his grave a contented man, but no... they had decided that the youngster had to perish too, showing him that his noble gesture was once again futile and meaningless.

Mark like so many others was twice condemned, first because of his own fall from grace and secondly because he then fell in love one that should have been above such petty mortal emotions. For he had so many lifetimes before fallen in love with an angel, and she had returned his love in ways that even now after all the countless years he could never fully comprehend.

An old familiar voice awoke him from his bitter-sweet memories.

"Now then Mark, me old mucker ...I had no idea thee was about this here neck o the woods"

Mark laughed for only Jacob Stuart would greet him in such a fashion, he too was a damned soul although his path to damnation was different and over the years they had encountered each other many times both in life and in the all too brief moments where they were caught between life and death.

"Where are you?" Mark asked, as he looked over the sands, after shooting his friend a quick smile.

Jacob lent on a twisted piece of fortification and scratched his chin as he scoured the beach for his remains.

"Ah, I'm o'er there" he pointed "and o'er there" he laughed as he pointed out a third time "oh, and o'er there, I gets about a bit tha knows, lad" his thick Yorkshire accent was as usual strangely welcoming and full of warmth.

"What on Earth are you doing with the American landing forces?"

"Ah well for sum reason, I found my sen being one o those damn Yankees" he grinned at his playful dig at what under normal circumstances would be called a friend.

Mark reacted the way Jacob expected and playful punched him on the arm, but stopped before he landed a second blow.

"Fuck it's getting cold quick" Mark cussed in his usual drawl.

"Aye that it is... we shouldn't be feeling the cold.. that's right peculiar that is" Jacob was actually shivering as he spoke.

Both Mark and Jacob started to search for the source of the sudden chill in the air. Something deep inside told Mark to turn around, so he did slowly not sure that he really wanted to see what was happening or the source of such a cold chill.

There stood before Jacob was a huge figure in a thick heavy robe, its face obscured by a deep cowl.

Both Mark and Jacob were not small men but this cloaked figure towered over them both making them look like children.

"You two are to come with me" it intoned, they both felt rather than heard its strangely echoing voice.

"Happen so, but we ain't like most of these others hereabouts tha knows"

The cloaked figure stopped and turned.

"I know who and what you are Master Jacob Stuart, and you too Mark William Callum"

"Then why?" Mark went to ask but was silenced when a long bone finger reached out and touched his lips.

"You are both to be given a second chance"


	2. Chapter 2

_Thanks for the reviews...and yes Ripper, if I don't concentrate I do tend to lapse and end up sounding alot like Jacob...tha knows_ :)

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**Chapter Two **

They both looked at each other and then back at the towering figure that stood before them.

It was Mark who broke the silence first.

"A second chance he paused At what, and by whom?" his voice was hesitant, for he knew all too well the dangers of being offered so called salvation by mysterious figures.

"Those that lay beyond the boundaries of mortal man and his beliefs"

As if to put a silence to any further questions the robed figure moved closer to them both and spoke quietly

"Come with me and all will be answered or stay here and continue your damnation"

Again both Mark and Jacob exchanged looks and yet neither of them dared to break the hushed silence that had befallen this strange meeting.

Finally Jacob Stuart broke the spell and stammered "Can we come back if we don't like what you all want us to do?"

The figure straightened up and towered above them as if Jacobs words had angered it.

"There can be NO turning back!" it looked at them both in turn then continued "So is it yea or nay?"

"Yea" they both answered in unison.

"Very well" the robed figure reached out with each of its bony hands and tapped them both on their foreheads, as it did so the world and everything around them went black.

"You there Jacob?" Mark asked after what seemed to be an eternity of just nothingness.

"I, think so. Can't see a damned thing like, and it feels like I'm on nothing just hanging around in space"

No sooner had those words left Jacobs lips the world around them changed in a most shocking and rapid way. Both felt like they were falling, not just for a few seconds but minute after minute seemingly rushed by them.

Mark wanted to shout at Jacob for saying something but the force with which he found himself falling took away any breath he had. His head was pounding and his lungs felt like they were about to burst, his vision was non-existent due to everything going past so fast. Suddenly he became acutely aware of a darkness looming below them both and he desperately tried not to think of how much this would hurt.

"Damn", he thought to himself "They throw a test at us both and we fail it big time ...this feels just like when I was.."

Mark shot a quick glance over to where he sensed and hoped Jacob was and sure enough there he was keeping his arms close to his body and from what he could tell Jacob had his eyes tightly shut.

Mark risked a quick look at the ground and too late he realised that he was about to hit a huge pile of dirt.

If you drop a pebble into a pond quite often the water splashes back up, the slightly damp dirt did pretty much the same thing as Mark landed on it, unfortunately because of how it was piled up coupled with the force of his impact Mark found himself being thrown to one side like a rag doll. Only he didn't stop as once again he was for a split second in total darkness then he hit solid ground with such force that he knew he should have broken every bone in his body.

He lay there still for a few minutes and waited for something else to happen, when nothing did he opened his eyes and groaned.

"Great ...I'm in a fucking hole in the ground, and going by how much this hurts I ain't dead or at least I don't think so, death doesn't usually hurt"

An all too familiar face peered over the top and smiled, then burst out laughing.

"I know some o the guys calls you Deadman and all, but hell Mark laying in a grave is taking it a bit far you tha know lad"

Jacob leant over and offered his hand "Want a hand out o there, or are you planning on staying put coz if you are I should warn you it fair looks like this pile o dirt next to me is about to fill the damn hole yer in"

Mark looked up and moved fast as the earth started to shift and fill the hole with some speed, grateful for his height and Jacobs helping hand he clambered out of the grave and fell onto the grass that surrounded the both of them.

"What in blue blazes is going on?" he managed to ask after getting his breath back.

"Buggered if I know" Jacob answered back as he sat there looking around all traces of his usual jolliness fading.

"If tha's gotten yer wits back" he paused before continuing "I'd take a long look at what's around us...especially owt thats up" Jacob pointed upwards in a nonchalant way, on the off chance they were being watched.

Now Mark could tell Jacob was worried which wasn't like him at all, so he took a long look at where they were.

Sure enough they had fallen into some weird and twisted looking cemetery, Mark tried not to smile as he noticed that he had managed to land in the only open grave. Slowly he took a look up at the sky and he instantly felt dizzy... for instead of the usual clouds etc. all there was, was a swirling mass of pulsating light that appeared to be breathing.

"Jacob, when you was playing with all your potions and magic shit, did you ever... you know get"

"High... no, not my cup of tea lad" Jacob stroked his beard and looked straight at Mark before continuing "You being a Yank and all, have you ever... you know smoked stuff ?"

"Weed?" Mark grinned, "Yep, when I was bit younger in this last life" Mark ran his fingers through his hair while he continued "I got caught too, got my ass handed to me by my old man"

Jacob looked at Mark and asked "So are we both dead or what, and are we... you know, coz I'm pretty such sure the sky shouldn't be like that well not unless you are on drugs"

Mark burst out laughing "I don't believe this, we are worried about being high ...damn it Jacob, over the years we have both been hounded and tortured. And right now we both agreed to something that we don't have full knowledge of and yet we worried about being high more than we are about being dead or damned"

Even Jacob could not help but laugh at just how ridiculous their fears sounded.

"I think we should move though, I don't want to get too comfortable in a cemetery" Mark paused briefly before "Well, not in this one at any rate"

Jacob raised his eyebrows at the last comment "Why?"

"Take a look at the names on the headstones" Mark answered in a rather cold way.

Jacob, walked over the the nearest grave and ran a finger over the moss covered lettering.

There in well worn letters was the word "_BYLGIA_"

"What is that?"

Mark, was just stood there, as if lost in deep thought. Jacob gulped slightly he was not normally a fearful man but there was something in the way Mark was stood that made him feel so very fragile and small ...Mark eyes, ones that were normally so full of life and cheeriness were now too eerie even for him, for all Jacob could see was the whites of his eyes.

When he finally answered his voice was not his usual Texan drawl but a far deeper one.

"A Nordic water goddess...they all are"

Jacob, went to the next grave and shuddered as he recognized the name inscribed _"CERUNNOS"_

The third and fourth graves didn't help the growing knot of fear that was forming in his stomach, as he read the words _"FAUNUS, APOLLO"_

"Where are we Mark?" Jacob barely managed to whisper, his mind still racing at seeing the names of Norse, Celtic, Roman and Greek Gods.

Marks reply did not help quell any fear that he felt nor did his actions. As Mark spoke in this new deeper voice he gestured at the endless graves that stretched on far beyond Jacobs vision.

"This is where the old ones lie ...the forgotten, the un-worshipped, the destroyed...this Jacob Stuart is the Cemetery of the Gods"

When Mark finished speaking he started to walk down a partially hidden path, almost as if he knew where he was going.

"Where are we going?" Jacob was definitely beginning to regret saying yea.

Mark stopped and span around on his heels "You wished to stay?" he snapped.

He slowly reached out to Jacob then stopped and looked puzzled for a moment as he stared at his own hand, Jacob started to feel a most unwelcome but all too familiar cold chill.

"No, my friend ...lets get out of here" he quickly spluttered and walked past Mark, not daring to look at him.

After a few steps Jacob stood still for a moment as his old friend caught up and brushed past as he continued to follow the near invisible path.

"By all the Gods" Jacob thought to himself "Mark, feels like very the touch of death itself"


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter Three**

Mark, kept quiet, he didn't know why he knew about the headstones or even how he could tell the various ways the gods had ended up in that lonely desolate place. But what puzzled him the most was how when he looked at Jacob, he could see him not only as he was now but also as all the other stages of this life and the ones before that. He had seen Jacob and every one of his reincarnations all at the same time. Not only that, when he had reached out to touch Jacob. His own hand looked so strange ...so pale that he thought he'd seen bone rather than flesh.

He had a deep sense of foreboding, but not matter how he tried to concentrate on it, he was unable to decipher what was the cause of such ill feeling. Mark knew that he had to put Jacobs mind at rest so he stopped and waited for his friend to catch up.

All the while, Jacob's own mind was racing, wondering what on earth was going on and if they had indeed made a grave mistake by accepting the offer.

"Well they do say tis better the devil you know..." his voice trailed off as he noticed Mark waiting up ahead, he looked so weary as if he was carrying the weight of the world on his shoulders.

"I ..." Mark went to speak but Jacob hushed him.

"There is something foul about this place, Mark...something I care not for, not one bit"

Jacob smiled as he put his hand on his taller companions shoulder.

"What I wouldn't give for a pint o ale about now"

Mark nodded "Yup, I wouldn't say no to a glass or three of the strong stuff myself"

"You got any thoughts as to the direction of a friendly tavern?" Mark asked with a grin.

"No, but a man can live in hope tha knows, lad ….lets get on, I'm not wanting to be around these parts at night, if it has a night that is"

Mark got that faraway look once more as he answered Jacob. "It does, everywhere needs the darkness and serenity that only the end of the day can bring"

Jacob stood and looked at Mark, "You really should stop doing that, you are starting to spook even me"

"Wha " came the somewhat confused reply. Mark felt strange, he could on the edge of his hearing just make out muffled voices, not just the odd one or two but this felt like a tidal wave of noise and if he wasn't careful he would soon find himself drowning under the sheer volume. But what disturbed him more was when his eyes refocused he saw not the strange but slightly colourful place they were in but a land twisted and torn made only more eerie by the fact that it was devoid of all colour apart from varying degrees of grey and black.

"Just where the fuck are we!" Mark exclaimed harshly..."What is happening to me?" a touch of panic had entered his otherwise stoic voice as he clamped his hands over his ears "Make it stop, Jake...for fuck sake someone make this noise stop" As the noise inside his mind got louder and louder.

The endless chattering and mumblings were for Mark, not only becoming louder as the sheer number of voices increased but they were becoming more distinct. He could make out odd snippets of conversation, people pleading for their lives and many others offering prayers mixed in with the endless screams and cries of the dead and dying.

All this proved too much for him and he crumpled to the ground...in obvious pain and discomfort. Jacob rushed to his side and laid a hesitant hand on Marks arm.

"What is it that ails you lad...tell me otherwise I can be of no use to thee" Jacob was worried, in all the time he had known Mark, he had never known him to show such obvious signs of suffering.

"V-v-voices" Mark muttered as his body started shaking..."I hear so many and I feel sooo much" tears were now forming in his eyes as he started to mentally surrender to the emotional avalanche that was burying him while the voices were drowning him in a never-ending whirlpool of death and destruction.

Jacob knew that something powerful was affecting Mark, he scanned the overgrown path for any herbs or plants that he could use but these were not plants that he recognized.

"Well...you wanted us to follow and that we did!" Jacob shouted out to whatever was listening..."Ya killin him ya bastards...some second chance this is...should have left us for dead" his anger and concern was tangible.

While Jacob was venting his anger and frustration, Mark grew still, looking down he feared the worst.

"Mark..are you?"

Mark did not speak but his actions did, as he promptly sat up and looked at or rather through Jacob...his green eyes now once more completely white.

"Dead...no...I am neither alive nor dead...I just am" a sly smirk crossed his lips for a second then his face once more became emotionless...his voice one far deeper than was possible for a mere man.

Jacob was trying to edge away from Mark, whatever was affecting him, had Jacob worried like he hadn't been in decades. But Mark shot out a hand and pulled Jacob back...he could feel the chill coming from Mark, it was one that for the most part he never liked to feel.

Oh, at first after his original death, Jacob had often bemoaned the fact that he was denied peace and that he longed for the coldness of a grave...but that's the thing about life or unlife/undeath is it gets addictive. And after nearly 500 years Jacob Stuart liked life apart from the first 14 which were always boring especially once the psyche had caught up and he started re-living and remembering past lives.

"You fear me...old friend?" Mark asked in that hollow voice he now used.

"Fear you...no..I just don" his words where caught in his throat as Mark pulled him so close that they were now nose to nose.

"Oh but you should...everyone fears me." Mark paused for a moment "fears or embraces me"

No sooner had Mark spoke those words, than his eyes rolled to the back of his head and then closed only to reopen...his usual shade of green. A bewildered look crossed his face as he realised he was holding Jacob by the collar threateningly.

Jacob, having seen the puzzled look decided to break the silence the only way he knew how.

"Ee lad, for a second then I thought tha was about to kiss me" he said with a huge grin on his face, hoping that humour however misplaced would defused what could be a rather awkward situation.

Their closeness wasn't lost on Mark and he gently pushed Jacob away before speaking.

"What happened, last thing I remember we was in that cemetery back there"

Jacob thought about telling Mark about all that had happened but decided to keep his own counsel, he needed to work out just what was happening to Mark and if he too was in danger.


End file.
